TPG Early Summer Update - June 2026

Hi fellow artists,

June already, it is said that time passes so fast when you are enjoying yourself, I do hope you are all enjoying yourselves.

Firstly, I would like to welcome three new members to TPG even if a little belated: Alison Brownjohn, Sheila Goacher and Terry Gardiner.

Our 2026 Exhibition at the FTE Gallery seems ages ago now. Although only three art works were sold, in the current economic climate that's not bad. Feedback from Catherine Cook was very positive and she was particularly pleased with the number of you who spent time painting at the FTE during April. Catherine says any of us can paint at the Gallery at any time, just contact her in advance to arrange a convenient time.

Thanks to all of you who exhibited and helped to make it another very successful event.

Don't forget the FTE Gallery offers a framing service now. The prices are reasonable; you can call into the Gallery or email, "gallery@freedomthroughexpression.art", them for further details and a bespoke price. If you need a print(s) taken of your artworks, the Gallery is able to do this for you. They have a copier which can provide professional standard prints, in fact all the prints they display in the Gallery for sale are produced from this copier.

Tom Yendall said to me that TPG could consider holding an exhibition of prints of our originals next year, the advantage being that these would sell at a lower price than the original. I know this might not appeal to many of you as we are not professional artists, but some of you may want to consider this.

Ellen has suggested that as a group we might want to consider having bespoke TPG aprons with our names on. I think this might be a good idea, especially when we are out and about painting, as many of us were during our exhibition at the FTE Gallery last April. We might get a good price if we order a batch of them together. Let me know what you all think about the idea and see if it is a goer.

Don't forget the Society, Sue Robinson, has arranged monthly plein air paint sessions for the summer period. The next one takes place next Wednesday, 10th June 2026, at Waverley Abbey, Waverley Lane, Farnham GU9 8EP. There is much there to sketch and Paint, the ruined Abbey beside the river Wey, open countryside and woods, in and around the gardens of Waverley House. In the House there is a cafe and there are toilets available should you need them. If you can spare the time, why not give it a whirl!

The Society is attending the Meadstead Summer Fayre on the 11th of July. We will be having a stand offering visitors the opportunity to paint, Adults on a large canvas and children on a roll of paper. We need help on the stand - are any of you able to assist on the day either for the whole of the day or part of it; if you are, please let me know.

Finally just to let you know I am away on holiday from the 16th - 28th June and therefore won't be at our Thursday Paint sessions on the 18th and 25th June; the leads for these sessions are Diana Snow and Mary Blackwell respectively.

Happy Summer Painting,

Mike